<p>“As for 3-2 programs, they don’t seem to work.”</p>
<p>To be certain, students do find 3-2 programs difficult to commit to. On the other hand, I have never heard any negatives about the quality of training received when a commitment is completed.</p>
<p>The prospect of both an additional year of education and of re-locating to a new school is a practical disincentive. However it should be pointed out that the additional year results in an additional degree. Some might call this worthwhile. Moreover if a Mac 3-2 student executes the engineering portion of his/her curriculum at the U of MN, re-location might very well not be an issue as it might just be a matter if taking a different bus to school each day.</p>
<p>I will also agree that, if a student wants to retain maximum flexibility, going to a research U with few barriers between its engineering and liberal arts programs is a better alternative than a 3-2 program at an LAC. But if LAC’s are inherently attractive, or if a research U insists on “tracking” a student early in their academic career, or if other factors (like wanting to play bagpipes) are an issue, a 3-2 program can represent a good option.</p>